Behold, I am coming soon! (Rev. 22:12)

Our friends wanted to know if they could spend a weekend with us. We had not seen them for many years, and we were thrilled. They were coming to see us!

Stuart and Deanne were farmers in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. We met them while we were missionaries. Over time we became great friends. They are now living in Australia.

To get ready for them, my wife, Roxene, spent many hours preparing our house; she vacuumed floors, dusted and polished furniture, and changed the bed sheets. She even made a list of what she would cook for them. I made a mental list of places we could show them while they were with us.

As the day of their arrival got closer and closer, the excitement of seeing them increasingly welled up in our hearts. I kept thinking, “Our friends are coming to see us! I can’t wait until they arrive! Everything needs to be just right for their arrival!”

My pastor recently preached a message in which he asked, “Are you excited about the coming of Jesus Christ? Are you preparing yourself for His arrival?”

His questions caused me to come up with three questions I have been frequently asking myself: Am I excited about Christ’s coming? Am I preparing myself for His coming? Am I preparing others for His coming?”

Take time to prepare for the most important arrival in history.

Jim “Umfundisi” Lo is the author of Connect with God: The Purpose of Prayer (WPH) and the dean of chapel at Indiana Wesleyan University.